To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (GNT)
I don’t know about you but I hope for a lot. I am always thinking of things I want. I guess a more accurate statement would be that I am always thinking of how I want things to be. I think of plans, how great it would be if things were _________________ (fill in the blank.)
But life rarely looks like how I imagine it. I read today’s verse and want to fill in my blanks. I can’t stop there though, I have to dig a little deeper.
Faith isn’t just hoping for things. It isn’t believing that the things I want will come to pass. It’s about walking the walk of faith.
For example, if I am in the middle of a problem; pick one. Could be loss of a job, a difficult health diagnosis, trouble with a child, someone being divisive and hurting me or my loved ones. Really, pick any problem. I can sit here and hope for better things and I can be certain they things are going to look like I want them to at some point….even if I can’t see it.
But it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, God allows things that hurt. He allows the difficult trials and heart wrenching events. He does this for our growth.
That, I think is the thing we have to believe in. We can believe that God is good and that no matter what is happening in our life, he is in the middle of it. We can believe that he only wants our best and sometimes to get there, we have to experience a “worst.” The character that grows and the trust that blossoms from having to go to him when you can’t do anything else, those are more important to him than things being easy.
He is more interested in your final destination than your momentary happiness. Another thing we can believe even though we can’t always see it? Jesus is in the middle of all of it with you. He has not left you to figure it out. He will not abandon you during the process. He is with you. He is leading and fighting for you - even though you might not be able to see it. You are loved.
Believing that, leaning into that....especially during the hard times…...that is faith.